Offset printing of security symbols on a substrate

Abstract

A substrate is printed with front side and back side markings. The front side when viewed with reflected light includes: a first marking printed with a first gradient of two colors; a second marking printed with a second gradient of two colors; a first symbol printed with a third gradient of two colors; a second symbol printed with a fourth gradient of two colors; a third symbol printed with a fifth gradient of two colors; and a fourth symbol printed with a sixth gradient of two colors. The back side when viewed with reflected light includes: a third marking printed with the fourth gradient; a fourth marking printed with the third gradient; a fifth symbol printed with the second gradient; a sixth symbol printed with the first gradient; a seventh symbol printed with the sixth gradient; and an eighth symbol printed with the fifth gradient.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of printing anti-counterfeit markings on a substrate having front side markings on a front side and back side markings on a back side, the method comprising:
 printing the front side of the substrate with the front side of the substrate showing a front pattern of reflected symbols and marking when viewed with reflected light, the front pattern containing:
 a first printed substrate marking printed with a first reflected light gradient of two colors, the first reflected light gradient flowing from a first color, to a second color, back to the first color; 
 a first printed substrate symbol printed with a third reflected light gradient of two colors, the third reflected light gradient flowing from a fourth color, to a fifth color, back to the fourth color; and 
 a second printed substrate symbol printed with a fourth reflected light gradient flowing from the fifth color, to a sixth color, back to the fifth color; and 
 
 printing the back side of the substrate with the back side of the substrate showing a back pattern of reflected symbols and markings when viewed with reflected light, the back pattern containing:
 a third printed substrate marking printed with the fourth reflected light gradient; 
 a fifth printed substrate symbol printed with a second reflected light gradient of two colors, the second reflected light gradient flowing from a third color, to the first color, back to the third color; and 
 a sixth printed substrate symbol printed with the first reflected light gradient; 
 the first color, the second color, the third color, the fourth color, the fifth color, and the sixth color being selected, when viewed from the front side with transmitted light, to be subtractive between the front side and the back side, to show all symbols and markings in black color by incorporating complementary colors between the front side and the back side. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 printing with an offset printing press including a first print unit, a first printing plate, and a first ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the first print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in a first gradient:
 a first printing plate symbol; and 
 a second printing plate symbol; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including a second print unit, a second printing plate, and a second ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the second print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in a second gradient:
 a fourth printing plate symbol; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including a third print unit, a third printing plate, and a third ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the third print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in a third gradient:
 a sixth printing plate symbol; and 
 a second printing plate marking; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including a fourth print unit, a fourth printing plate, and a fourth ink well containing an inside section and outside sections; 
 printing with the offset printing press including a fifth print unit, a fifth printing plate, and a fifth ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the fifth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in the second gradient:
 a ninth printing plate symbol; and 
 a fourth printing plate markings; and 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including a sixth print unit, a sixth printing plate, and a sixth ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the sixth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in the third gradient:
 an eleventh printing plate symbol. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first printed substrate marking is formed by printing the front side of the substrate using the second printing plate marking; 
 the third printed substrate marking is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the third printing plate marking and the fourth printing plate marking; 
 the first printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the front side of the substrate using the first printing plate symbol and the sixth printing plate symbol; 
 the second printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the front side of the substrate using the second printing plate symbol and the fourth printing plate symbol; 
 the fifth printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the ninth printing plate symbol; and 
 the sixth printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the eleventh printing plate symbol. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first printed substrate marking on the front side overlaps the third printed substrate marking on the back side; 
 the first printed substrate symbol on the front side overlaps the fifth printed substrate symbol on the back side; and 
 the second printed substrate symbol on the front side overlaps the sixth printed substrate symbol the back side. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 printing the front side of the substrate with the front side of the substrate showing the front pattern which further includes:
 a second printed substrate marking printed with the second reflected light gradient; 
 a third printed substrate symbol printed with a fifth reflected light gradient of two colors, the fifth reflected light gradient flowing from the sixth color, to the fourth color, back to the sixth color; and 
 a fourth printed substrate symbol printed with a sixth reflected light gradient of two colors, the sixth reflected light gradient flowing from the third color, to the second color, back to the third color; and 
 
 printing the back side of the substrate with the back side of the substrate showing the back pattern which further includes:
 a fourth printed substrate marking printed with the third reflected light gradient; 
 a seventh printed substrate symbol printed with the sixth reflected light gradient; and 
 an eighth printed substrate symbol printed with the fifth reflected light gradient; 
 
 the first color, the second color, the third color, the fourth color, the fifth color, and the sixth color being selected, when viewed from the front side with transmitted light, to be subtractive between the front side and the back side, to show all symbols and markings in black color by incorporating complementary colors between the front side and the back side. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 printing with an offset printing press including a first print unit, a first printing plate, and a first ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the first print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in a first gradient:
 a first printing plate symbol; and 
 a second printing plate symbol; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including a second print unit, a second printing plate, and a second ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the second print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in a second gradient:
 a fourth printing plate symbol; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including a fourth print unit, a fourth printing plate, and a fourth ink well containing an inside section and outside sections; 
 printing with the offset printing press including a third print unit, a third printing plate, and a third ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the third print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in a third gradient:
 a sixth printing plate symbol; and 
 a second printing plate marking; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including a fifth print unit, a fifth printing plate, and a fifth ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the fifth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in the second gradient:
 a ninth printing plate symbol; and 
 a fourth printing plate markings; and 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including a sixth print unit, a sixth printing plate, and a sixth ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the sixth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in the third gradient:
 an eleventh printing plate symbol. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 printing with the offset printing press including the first print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in the first gradient:
 a third printing plate symbol; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including the second print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in the second gradient:
 a fifth printing plate symbol; and 
 a first printing plate marking; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including the third print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in the third gradient:
 a seventh printing plate symbol; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including the fourth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in the first gradient:
 an eighth printing plate symbol; and 
 a third printing plate marking; 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including the fifth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in the second gradient:
 a tenth printing plate symbol; and 
 
 printing with the offset printing press including the sixth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in the third gradient:
 a twelfth printing plate symbol; and 
 a fifth printing plate marking. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first printed substrate marking is formed by printing the front side of the substrate using the second printing plate marking; 
 the third printed substrate marking is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the third printing plate marking and the fourth printing plate marking; 
 the first printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the front side of the substrate using the first printing plate symbol and the sixth printing plate symbol; 
 the second printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the front side of the substrate using the second printing plate symbol and the fourth printing plate symbol; 
 the fifth printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the ninth printing plate symbol; and 
 the sixth printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the eleventh printing plate symbol. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the second printed substrate marking is formed by printing the front side of the substrate using the first printing plate marking; 
 the fourth printed substrate marking is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the third printing plate marking and the fifth printing plate marking; 
 the third printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the front side of the substrate using the fifth printing plate symbol and the seventh printing plate symbol; 
 the fourth printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the front side of the substrate using the third printing plate symbol; 
 the fifth printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the ninth printing plate symbol; 
 the sixth printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the eleventh printing plate symbol; 
 the seventh printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the eighth printing plate symbol; and 
 the eighth printed substrate symbol is formed by printing the back side of the substrate using the tenth printing plate symbol and the twelfth printing plate symbol. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first printed substrate marking on the front side overlaps the third printed substrate marking on the back side; 
 the first printed substrate symbol on the front side overlaps the fifth printed substrate symbol on the back side; and 
 the second printed substrate symbol on the front side overlaps the sixth printed substrate symbol the back side. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the second printed substrate marking on the front side overlaps the fourth printed substrate marking on the back side; 
 the third printed substrate symbol on the front side overlaps the seventh printed substrate symbol on the back side; and 
 the fourth printed substrate symbol on the front side overlaps the eighth printed substrate symbol on the back side. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first color is yellow (Y), the second color is cyan (C), the third color is magenta (M), the fourth color is green (C+Y=G), the fifth color is blue (C+M=Bl), and the sixth color is (Y+M=R). 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 setting up the offset printing press with:
 the first ink well having a first ink of a first ink color (C) on the outside sections and a second ink of a second ink color (M) on the inside section; 
 the second ink well having the second ink on the outside sections and a third ink of a third ink color (Y) on the inside section; 
 the third ink well having the third ink on the outside sections and the first ink on the inside section; 
 the fourth ink well having a fourth ink of a fourth ink color (C+Y=G) on the outside sections and a fifth ink of a fifth ink color (C+M=Bl) on the inside section; 
 the fifth ink well having the fifth ink on the outside sections and a sixth ink of a sixth ink color (Y+M=R) on the inside section; and 
 the sixth ink well having the sixth ink on the outside sections and the fourth ink on the inside section. 
 
 
     
     
       14. A system having an offset printing press which comprises:
 a first print unit, a first printing plate, and a first ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the first print unit configured to print a front side of a substrate in a first gradient at least one of a printing plate marking or a printing plate symbol; 
 a second print unit, a second printing plate, and a second ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the second print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in a second gradient at least one of a printing plate marking or a printing plate symbol; and 
 a third print unit, a third printing plate, and a third ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the third print unit configured to print the front side of the substrate in a third gradient at least one of a printing plate marking or a printing plate symbol; 
 the first ink well having a first color ink of a first color on the outside sections and a second color ink of a second color on the inside section; 
 the second ink well having the second color ink of the second color on the outside sections and a third color ink of a third color on the inside section; 
 the third ink well having the third color ink of the third color on the outside sections and the first color ink of the first color on the inside section; and 
 the first color, the second color, and the third color being selected, when viewed from the front side with transmitted light, to be subtractive between the front side and a back side, to show all symbols and markings in black color by incorporating complementary colors between the front side and the back side. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the first color is yellow (Y), the second color is cyan (C), and the third color is magenta (M). 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14 , further comprising
 a fourth print unit, a fourth printing plate, and a fourth ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the fourth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in a fourth gradient at least one of a printing plate marking or a printing plate symbol; 
 a fifth print unit, a fifth printing plate, and a fifth ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the fifth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in a fifth gradient at least one of a printing plate marking or a printing plate symbol; and 
 a sixth print unit, a sixth printing plate, and a sixth ink well containing an inside section and outside sections, the sixth print unit configured to print the back side of the substrate in a sixth gradient at least one of a printing plate marking or a printing plate symbol; 
 the fourth ink well having a fourth color ink of a fourth color on the outside sections and a fifth color ink of a fifth color on the inside section; 
 the fifth ink well having the fifth color ink on the outside sections and a sixth color ink of a sixth color on the inside section; 
 the sixth ink well having the sixth color ink on the outside sections and the fourth color ink on the inside section; and 
 all the markings and symbols appearing to be black in color when the substrate is viewed with transmitted light. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the first color is yellow (Y), the second color is cyan (C), and the third color is magenta (M); and 
 wherein the fourth color is green (G), the fifth color is blue (Bl), and the sixth color is red (R). 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first print unit is configured to print the front side of the substrate in a first gradient:
 a first printing plate symbol; and 
 a second printing plate symbol; 
 
 the second print unit is configured to print the front side of the substrate in a second gradient:
 a fourth printing plate symbol; 
 
 the third print unit is configured to print the front side of the substrate in a third gradient:
 a sixth printing plate symbol; and 
 a second printing plate marking; 
 
 the fifth print unit is configured to print the back side of the substrate in the second gradient:
 a ninth printing plate symbol; and 
 a fourth printing plate marking; and 
 
 the sixth print unit is configured to print the back side of the substrate in the third gradient:
 an eleventh printing plate symbol. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first printing plate marking overlaps the third printing plate marking and the fifth printing plate marking; 
 the first printing plate symbol overlaps the sixth printing plate symbol and the ninth printing plate symbol; and 
 the second printing plate symbol overlaps the fourth printing plate symbol and the eleventh printing plate symbol. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first print unit is configured to print the front side of the substrate in a first gradient:
 a third printing plate symbol; 
 
 the second print unit is configured to print the front side of the substrate in a second gradient:
 a fifth printing plate symbol; and 
 a first printing plate marking; 
 
 the third print unit is configured to print the front side of the substrate in a third gradient:
 a seventh printing plate symbol; 
 
 the fourth print unit is configured to print the back side of the substrate in the first gradient:
 an eighth printing plate symbol; and 
 a third printing plate marking; 
 
 the fifth print unit is configured to print the back side of the substrate in the second gradient:
 a tenth printing plate symbol; and 
 
 the sixth print unit is configured to print the back side of the substrate in the third gradient:
 a twelfth printing plate symbol; and 
 a fifth printing plate marking. 
 
 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the second printing plate marking overlaps the third printing plate marking and the fourth printing plate marking; 
 the third printing plate symbol overlaps the tenth printing plate symbol and the twelfth printing plate symbol; and 
 the fifth printing plate symbol overlaps the seventh printing plate symbol and the eighth printing plate symbol.